United Kingdom

EUROPE/UK - Merrill Lynch International has cut management fees for its Euro STOXX 50 and STOXX 50 LDRS from 0.50% to 0.35% in a bid to attract investors.

UK/EUROPE - Liberty Ermitage has launched a fund of hedge funds which will specialise in early stage European based funds.

UK - Northern Trust has appointed Invesco and Royal London Asset Management to its UK multi-manager fixed interest fund.

UK - The Society of Pensions Consultants is urging the Chancellor to tackle growing pensions taxation problems in his forthcoming Budget.

UK - Stock markets will remain fragile and volatile without good corporate governance, leading shareholder activists warn.

UK - The £4.9bn West Midlands Metropolitan Authorities Pension Fund is set to appoint a manager to run approximately £130m in UK non-government sterling bonds.

UK - ISIS Asset Management has hired Michel Bernard in a bid to dominate GSRI (Global Socially Responsible Investment) solutions provision, Europe.

UK - The government is close to settling its dispute with public sector part-time workers over backdated pension rights, unions claim.

UK - Software provider Euraplan has launched a new foreign exchange service which allows pension schemes to address Myners' call for greater transaction cost transparency.

UK - IFA RJ Temple has closed three of its five regional offices and made 18 staff redundant.